Electron tube socket



A. s.. WOLFSON ELECTRON] TUBE sockm' Och 18, 1960 7 2,957,095

Filed Sept. "10,1958

ANTHONY s. WOLFSON INVENTOR.

FIG MF W ATTORNEY I 3 Sheets-Sheeijl A. S. WOLFSON ELECTRON TUBE SOCKET Oct. 18, 1960 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1958 ANTHONY s. woLFso'gq- INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY- Oct. 18, 1960 A. s. WOLFSON 2,957,095

ELECTRON TUBE SOCKET Filed Sept. 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet a g r N Q i o i I E 1 I. i o 7 I I LL I :I: r 1/ 1 8 (\l a Q 9 E E m co (D N I0 a 1 m 9 9 a A I 0 1 Q Q r I l T "u I I 10 l I I I 1 0 I E1 A :1 o Q l O0 ri m t ANTHONY S. WOLFSON qcoo 9 9 9 INVENTOR mm QQ BY W 55 :2 22 9 s! ATTORNEY United States Patent ELECTRON TUBE SOCKET Anthony S. Wolfson, Palo Alto, Calif., assignor to Eitel- McCullough, Inc, San Bruno, Calif a corporation of California Filed Sept. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 760,220

13 Claims. (Cl. 313--51) This invention relates generally to electron tube sockets and more particularly to tube sockets suitable for use with relatively large beam tubes.

As beam tubes are designed to meet higher and higher output power requirements in the lower frequency ranges, they become larger and heavier. It can be appreciated that when installing a large, heavy tube into a socket, it is difficult to manipulate the tube to center it on the socket so that the male and female socket portions are mated. Further, sockets for high power beam tubes must be capable of handling relatively large amounts of power with low losses.

Another problem encountered with high power beam tubes is that the sockets must be designed to operate with relatively high voltages between the various terminals.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a tube socket suitable for use with beam tubes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tube socket capable of handling relatively high power with relatively low losses.

Itis still a further object of the present invention to provide an electron tube socket in which the female portion of the socket is self-centering.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electron tube socket which comprises male and female portions with the male portion adapted to be permanently mounted on the electron tube, and the female portion mounted formovement in a direction perpendicular to its axis to center on the male portion as it is mated thereto.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a socket for electron tubes which may be used under oil and which has relatively low contact resistance.

These and other objects of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawmg.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational view showing a tube socket in accordance with the invention together with the lower portion of a beam tube;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a tube socket and the electron gun portion of a klystron tube; the electron gun is shown in partial section to show the interior elements;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the female portion of the tube socket taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the female portion of the tube socket;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the male portion of the tube socket;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the lower portion 11 of a beam tube is shown extending downwardly into a tank 12 having upper and lower walls 13 and 14 and side f manner.

for operating the tube.

2,957,095 Patented Oct. 18, 1960 walls 16. The tank is filled to the level 17 with transformer oil or other suitable high dielectric cooling liquid. The lower portion of the tube 11 is immersed in the oil and is carried in the socket 18 which includes a female portion 19 mounted on the posts 21. The posts extend upwardly from the bottom of the tank. A male socket portion is suitably secured to the bottom of the electron tube.

As is Well known, beam tubes generally include an elongated, cylindrical envelope having an electron gun such as the gun 23 at one end and a collector (not shown) at the other end. The electron beam is projected by the electron gun to the collector. The beam interacts with adjacent circuits to amplify signals carried by the same. For example, the adjacent circuits may be resonant cavities of a klystron which includes a drift tube made up of metallic sections, one of which, 24, is illustrated in Figure 1. These sections extend axially of the tube and provide gaps which are bridged by resonant cavities of the type well known in the art (not shown).

The electron gun may, for example, include a base 26 (Figure 2), on which the various elements of the gun assembly are mounted. A plurality of inner posts 28 and outer posts 29 are mounted on the base and extend upwardly and engage opposite ends of a plurality of heater elements 31. The posts 29 are insulated from the base 26 and lead-throughs are provided for making contact to the lower end of the same. The heater elements 31 are disposed to heat the underside of a dish-shaped cathode 32.. The cathode '32 is supported on a cylindrical member 33. An inner cylindrical member 34 supports disc-shaped heat shields 35. The shields, cylindrical member 34- and cathode dish 32 form an oven-like enclosure which surrounds the heater elements 31.

A pair of stacked ceramic cylinders 36 and 37 is supported on the base 26. A lead-in ring 38 is carried between the ceramic cylinders and supports the focusing electrode 39. A modulating anode 40 is carried by the upper end of the ceramic cylinder 37.

The described electron gun functions in a well known The cathode dish is heated and serves to emit electrons which are attracted by the anode (not shown). The electrons are focused by the focusing electrode and 'form a beam which is projected axially of the tube through the modulating anode. The beam may be modulated by controlling the voltage between the modulating anode 40 and the cathode. The beam then interacts'with the associated circuits.

Referring again to Figure l, the bottom 14 of the tank serves to support the circuits which provide voltages Electronic circuits for supplying power to the cathode and appropriate voltages to other elements of the associated beam tube are schematically illustrated by the blocks 41 and 42 and will not be described in detail.

The modulating anode voltage is supplied by the lead 53 to the donut-shaped ring 54 carried at the upper end of the insulating cylindrical member 56. Finger contacts 57 are mounted on the ring 54 and extend inwardly to contact the anode terminal ring 58.

A cylindrical shield 55 has its lower end attached to a platform 59 which serves to support the female socket portion on the posts 21. The upper end of the shield carries the member 56. The shield 55 is electrically connected to the cathode by a lead 60. The lower part of the shield carries a donut-shaped ring 61 to minimize the possibility of arcing between the shield and adjacent parts of the socket mount.

-As is well known, a relatively high voltage is applied between the cathode and the modulating anode to effect control of the beam. Generally the voltage is applied by beam switching tubes across a resistor connected between the tube elements. However, if a single resistor is used there can be arcing between the terminals of the resistor. In accordance with the present invention a special resistor assembly is used. The resistor assembly includes a plurality of serially connected resistors 62 which are 'helically wound on the insulating member 56 with one terminal connected to the donut-shaped ring 63 carried at the upper end of the shield 55. The rings :74 and 63 prevent arcing between the ends of the resistor assembly. The voltage between terminals of each resistor 62 is relatively low, as is the voltage between adjacent turns of the assembly. Consequently, the possibility of arcing is re duced.

The base 66 of the female socket portion 19 is made of insulating material and is mounted on the posts 67 for limited movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis. The upper portion of the mounting posts 67 has a portion 68 of reduced diameter (Figure 3) which extends through an enlarged opening 69 formed in the base 66. Washers 71 and 72 are disposed on opposite sides of the plate 66 and a nut 73 serves to hold the base 66 on the post 67. The nut is not tightly secured whereby the base 66 may move a limited amount in a direction perpendicular to its Means are carried by the base 66 for urging the female portion 19 in a direction perpendicular to its axis whereby it centers on the male portion 22 as the male portion is lowered into the female portion. Such means may comprise a ring 76 which is carried by the base 66. For example, the ring 76 may be mounted on a plurality of spacers 77 and secured to the base by means of bolts or screws 78 which threadably engage the ring 76. The ring 76 has a generally convex inner surface '79 which is engaged by the outer ring-like terminals of the male socket, to be presently described, whereby the ring 76 is urged in a lateral direction to center the female socket. Supports 81 are suitably mounted on the outer surface of the ring 76 and extend upwardly. Finger contacts 82 are suitably secured to the supports 81 as, for example, by means of the screws 83. The finger contacts 82 provide electrical connection to the terminal ring 38 of the focus electrode 39.

A series of concentric rings 84, 86, 87 and 88 are carried by the base in insulated relation to each other and are suitably secured thereto as, for example, by means of the screws 89. Each of the rings includes a lower flat portion 91 which is engaged by the screw and upwardly extending concentric portion which is provided with contact fingers 92. The various rings 84, 86, 87 and 88 are adapted to make contact with the rings of the male socket portion. A terminal screw 93 is provided for each of the rings and extends downwardly below the base 66. The screw facilitates making electrical connection between the associated ring and associated circuitry. The leads 94 show connections to the associated circuitry which is schematically illustrated in block form.

Referring to Figures 7, the male portion of the socket, which is secured to the base 21 of the tube, includes a series of concentric copper rings 96, 97, 98 and 99 which are supported at one end by apertured copper discs 101, 102, 103 and 104, respectively. The free ends of the rings 96-99 lie in a common plane. The supports 101104 for the rings 9699 provide means for making electrical connection thereto. The metallic discs 101 and 102 lie in a common plane and are carried on one surface of the insulating spacer ring 106. The disc 103 which supports ring 98 is sandwiched between the insulating spacer ring 106 and spacers 107. The ring 104 which carries the ring 99 is supported between the spacers 107 and 108.

The complete socket assembly is held in assembled relationship by means of the screws 111 which electrically connect the ring 102 to the base 26. The screws are :passed through the enlarged openings formed in the ring 103 and 104 and insulating spacers 106, 107, 108 and 4 engage the mounting members 112 which are suitably secured to the base of the tube 26. Thus, the cylindrical ring 97 is electrically connected to the base 26.

The ring 103 is connected by the screw 114 to the leadthrough 116. The lead-through assembly comprises a pair of scaling rings 117 and 118. The ring 117 has its outer edge brazed to the base 26, and the ring 118 has its outer edge brazed to the ring 119. The inner edges of the rings 117 and 118 are brazed to the ceramic rings 121, 122 and 123. The lead-through 116 is brazed to the ring 119. Thus, a competent vacuum seal is formed. The ring 104 is connected to a lead-in conductor 124 which is associated with an assembly similar to the one just described; like parts carry like reference numerals.

The ring 101 is connected to a lead-through 12-6 of the type previously described by a cable 127 which is connected to the ring by means of a screw 128.

The posts 28 are suitably secured to base and serve to connect the inner portions of the filamentary heaters to the base 26. The outer posts 29 are connected to the lead-in 124 and 116. It is noted that the outer rings 98 and 99 have sufficient lineal length to carry the heater current and to provide a low resistance contact even when submerged in the transformer oil.

An improved socket assembly is provided. The female portion is mounted for limited axial movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis whereby it centers on the male portion. The male socket portion is secured to the associated electron tube. The apertured rings provide for circulation of a cooling fluid to cool the socket. In socketing the tube, the shaped ring 76 is generally the first part of the female socket to contact the male socket, and since the inside of this ring is only slightly larger than the outside diameter of the outer ring 99 of the male socket, the female socket will move on its support in a direction perpendicular to its axis to center itself to the male socket. As the tube is lowered, the male and female socket portions are properly mated. The socket has relatively large contact areas and can be submersed in oil without giving rise to high contact resistances. The socket is easy to construct and assemble. A novel drop ping resistor assembly and support is provided for making electrical contact between the modulating anode and the cathode.

I claim:

1. A tube socket comprising a male portion including a plurality of concentric conductive rings adapted to be electrically connected to the elements of an associated tube, means for mounting said male portions to the base of an electron tube, a female portion including a plurality of concentric contact elements for making contact with the rings of the male portion when the socket portions are mated, said concentric contact elements being mounted on a socket base, means for mounting on a socket mounting fixture said socket base of the female portion of said socket with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, and a guide ring carried by said socket base and adapted to engage the outer ring of the male portion to center the female portion to the male portion as the socket portions are mated.

2. A tube socket comprising a male portion including a plurality of concentric conductive rings each having one end terminating in a common plane, a plurality of conductive members engaging the other end of said rings and adapted to be electrically connected to the elements of an associated tube, means carried by selected ones of said conductive members for mounting the male portion on an associated electron tube, a female portion including a plurality of concentric contact elements for making contact with the rings of the male portion when the socket portions are mated, said concentric contact elements each having one end terminating in a second common plane and being mounted by their other end to a socket base, means for mounting on a mounting fixture said socket base of the female portion of said socket with limited freedom of movementina direction perpendicular to its axis, and means carried by said socket base for engaging the outer ring and for centering the female portion to the male portion as the socket portions are 'm'atedJ 3. A tube socket comprising a male portion including a plurality of concentric conductive rings adapted to be electrically connected to the elements of an associated tube, means for mounting said male portion to the base of an associated electron tube, a female portion including a socket base and a plurality of concentric contact elements for making contact with the rings of the male portion carried by the associated tube base, said concentric contact elements having an upper portion of finger stock material and a lower mounting portion, means for supporting on a socket mounting fixture said socket base with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, and a guide ring carried concentrically by said base and adapted to engage the outer ring of the male socket portion to align the female socket portion with the male portion, whereby said male portion bears on said guide ringand imparts movement to said female portion before contact is made between any of said conductive rings and contact elements.

4. A tube socket for an electron tube comprising a plurality of concentric cylindrical rings each having one end terminating in a common plane, a plurality of conductive members engaging the other end of said rings, and means for mounting said conductive members to an associated electron tube with vselected ones of said members axially spaced with respect to others of said members.

5. A tube socket, for a beam tube of the type which includes a cathode assembly mounted on a metal base and including filamentary heaters disposed to indirectly heat a cathode, lead-through connections carried by said base and adapted to make electrical connections to the heaters, said socket comprising a plurality of concentric cylindrical rings each having one end terminating in a common plane, a plurality of conductive members engaging the other end of said rings, means for mounting said members to said base whereby said one end of said rings protrude away from said tube, and means connecting the outer rings to the lead-through connections.

6. A tube socket comprising a base, a plurality of concentric contact elements mounted on said base, means for mounting said base on a mounting fixture with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, and means carried by said base axially spaced from the free ends of said concentric contact elements and adapted to engage an associated socket portion and urge said base in a direction perpendicular to its axis, whereby said contact elements are axially aligned with said associated socket portion before physical contact is made thereto by said contact elements.

7. An electron tube socketing arrangement comprising a male portion including a plurality of concentric conductive rings each having one end terminating in a common plane, a plurality of conductive members engaging the other end of said rings and adapted to be electrically connected to the elements of an associated tube, means carried by selected ones of said conductive members for mounting the male portion to the associated electron tube with said one end of said conductive rings protruding away from said tube, a female portion including a plurality of concentric contact elements for making contact with the rings of the associated male portion when the socket is mated, said concentric contact elements being mounted on a female socket base, means for mounting the female socket base on a mounting fixture with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, means carried by said female socket base for engaging said male portion for urging said female portion in a direction perpendicular to its axis so that it aligns itself with the male portion as the portions are mated and before contact is made between said conductive rings and said contact elements, and a dielectric fluid adapted to maintain said female socket portion immersed.

-8. A tube socket fora beam tube of the type which includes a cathode assembly mounted on a metal base and havinga cathode and filamentary heaters for indirectly heating the same, lead-through connections car- -ried' by saidmetal base and adapted to make electrical connection to the filamentary heaters, a first socket portion including a plurality of concentric conductive rings each having one end terminating in a common plane, a plurality of conductive members engaging the other end of said concentric conductive rings, means for mounting said conductive members to said metal base, means engaging said' conductive members for said outer rings and connecting them to the lead-through connections, a second socket portion including a socket base, a plurality of concentric contact elements mounted on said socket base, means for mounting on a mounting fixture said socket base with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, and means carried by said socket base adapted to engage a conductive ring of the, first portion to urge the socket base in a direction perpendicular to its axis to thereby align the second socket portion with the first socket portion.

9. A tube socket for a beam tube of the type which includes a cathode assembly mounted on a metal base and having a cathode and filamentary heaters for indirectly heating the same, lead-through connections carried by said base and adapted to make electrical connection to the filamentary heaters, a first socket portion including a plurality of concentric conductive rings each having one end terminating in a common plane, a plurality of conductive members engaging the other end of said concentric conductive rings, means for mounting said members to the metal base, means engaging said outer rings and connecting them to the lead-through connections, a second socket portion including a socket base, a plurality of concentric contact elements mounted on said socket base, means for mounting said socket base on a mounting fixture with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, means carried by said socket base adapted to engage a conductive ring of the first portion to urge the socket base in a direction perpendicular to its axis to thereby align the second socket portion with the first socket portion, a fluid reservoir adapted to mount said second socket portion, and fluid disposed in said reservoir and serving to maintain the mated socket portions immersed.

10. A tube socket for a beam tube of the type which includes an electron gun having a cathode, filamentary cathode heaters, anode, and focusing electrodes carried by a metal base, said anode being axially spaced from the cathode, lead-through connections carried by the base for making electrical connection to the filamentary cathode heaters, a lead-through axially spaced from the base for making connection to the focusing electrode, a first socket portion including a plurality of first contact elements mounted on said metal base and adapted to make electrical connection to the cathode heaters, a second socket portion including a plurality of second contact elements mounted on a socket base adapted to make electrical connection to said first contact elements of the first socket portion, said second contact elements all terminating in a common plane spaced from said socket base, said second socket portion including contact members spaced axially from said second contact elements and said socket base for making electrical contact to the axially spaced focusing electrode lead-through.

11. A tube socket for a beam tube of the type which includes a cylindrical electron gun having a cathode, filamentary cathode heaters, anode, and focusing electrodes carried by a metal base, said anode including a terminal axially spaced from the cathode, lead through connections carried by said base for making electrical connection to the filamentary cathode heaters, a lead through axially spaced-from the base-for makingconnection to the focusing electrode, a first socket portion ineluding first contact elements all terminating in a first common plane, said-first contact elements mounted on said metal base and adapted tomake electrical connection to the cathode and: heaters, a second socket portion including second contact elements all terminating in a second common plane and mounted on a socket base, said second contact elements being adapted -to make connection to said first contact elements of the first socket portion, said second'socket portion including contact members for making electrical contact to the focusing electrode terminal, said contact members being axially spaced from said second common plane, and a cylindrical member carried by the socket baseand includingcontact 'members for-making electrical connection to the axially spaced anode terminal.

12. A tube socket for a beam tube which includes a cylindrical electron gun having a cathode, filamentary cathode heaters, anode, andfocusing electrode carried by a metal base, said anodebeing axially spaced from the cathode, lead through connections carried by said metal base for making electrical connection to thefilamentary cathode heaters, a. lead through axially spaced from said metal base for making connection to the focusing electrode, a first socket portionincluding first contact elements mounted onsaid metal base and adapted to make electrical connection to-thecathode and'heaters, a second socket portion including second contact elements mounted on asocket base, saidsecond contact elements adapted to make connection to said-first contact; elements of the first socket portion, said second socket portion including contact members'for making electrical contact to the focusing electrode lead through when the socket portions are mated, an insulating cylindrical member carried by the socket base and including further contact members disposed at the endthereof removed from said socket base for. making electrical connection tothe anode, a helically wound resistance element: carried by said cylindrical member and having itsopposite ends in electrical connection with the anode and the cathode.

13. A tube socket for a tube of the type which. includes a cylindrical electron gun having. a. cathode, filamentary cathode heaters, anode and focusing electrode allcarried by a metal base, lead-through terminals for connecting to the heaters and cathode, a first socket portion including a plurality of concentric metallic conductive rings each having one end terminating in a first common; plane, a plurality of apertured conductive disks: each engaging one of said conductive rings. at their other ends, means for mounting said socket to the metal base, means. engaging the outer rings and connecting them to the lead-through terminals, a second socket portion including concentric contact members corresponding to said contact. rings mounted on a socket base, means for mounting on a mounting fixture said socket base with limited freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis, means carried by said socket base adapted to engage the outer conductive ring of the first socket portion, to urge the socket base in a direction perpendicular to its; axis to align the second socket portion to the first socket portion before electrical contact occurs between said conductive rings and said concentric contact members, a second. contact: member for making-electrical connection to the focus, ing electrode terminal, and a cylindrical member carried by the second socket portion for making electrical connection to the anode.

References Cited in the-file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,839 Chamberlin Sept. 27, 1949 2,702,376 Brush Feb. 15, 1955 2,760,177 Hollis et a1. Aug. 21, 1956 

